| Author | Message | ||
     SouthernMarine  |
MARINE 1STSGT NOMINATED FOR THE MEDAL OF HONOR! (Unconfirmed about nomination) Marine 1st Sergeant Brad Kasal (in the middle). This photo is from the most recent major offensive in Fallujah. 1stSgt Kasal sacrificed his own safety to save a room full of fellow Marines. He ended up taking several AK rounds in the leg. Most of his lower leg was blown away but you can't tell it from this pic. He took rounds in the back which his armor saved him from. He took one round through his butt which passed through both cheeks leaving 4 holes in him. And he also took the brunt of a grenade blast. He jumped on top of a younger Marine to cover him from the fire. He killed the enemy who did most of the damage to him and his men, and despite a massive loss of blood he never stopped fighting. Notice that he's still holding his pistol. He has been put in for the Medal of Honor for his actions on that day. He already has several Purple Hearts for previous battles throughout his career and he has turned some down so that he could stay with his unit.  | ||
| M1combat  |
Makes me proud  . | ||
| Signguyxb12  |
Hard core... Marine Corps | ||
| Bomber  |
TopSgt is the toughest known substance in the universe! get Some, TOP! | ||
| Blackbelt  |
he has my vote... DARN PROUD OF MEN LIKE THAT!!!! DARN PROUD!!! | ||
| Djkaplan  |
Semper Fidelis. | ||
| Blake |
God bless that man. | ||
| Fatpony |
God blessed US with that man!!!!!! | ||
| M2nc |
I do not know how much this will mean to him, but I has the utmost respect for such a man. A true hero! | ||
| Cataract2 |
Daaaaaang, he deserves the Medal of Honor for that. | ||
| Bcordb3  |
Semper Fi, he is one tough 1st/SGT! God Bless him. | ||
| Blublak  |
Marines come in several variations.. Despite what some people say, we know that they are the finest, hardest and most loyal group in the universe. The top just proved it again. I hope he heals quickly, receives his due honors and will pass on his pride and honor to younger Marines still maturing. I salute him and all who serve. Later. | ||
| Iamike  |
That commercial during the Superbowl of the service men & women coming home and being given a standing O really moved me. I remember all too well how the heroes coming home from Vietnam were treated. There are just too many that just don't understand what an ugly world we live in. And the US isn't the problem. | ||
| U4euh  |
 That is an example for many others to follow, not to go out and get wounded, but to value others lives before your own. No doubt he will get the medal, and well deserved it is! | ||
| Buellstr |
In his mind I'm sure he was just doing his job. This country is lucky to have men like him to serve and protect us. THANK YOU VERY MUCH for protecting my freedom! I wish I could shake your hand. | ||
| Gschuette  |
Very cool guy! I really liked the Superbowl commercial that thanked out troops. Only good one last night. That guy is a true hero! | ||
| Robxb  |
SouthernMarine, if you get to speak to any of our countries men serving over in foreign territories, please let them know how thankful we all are on here. I have a couple of friends in Iraq that are serving in the Army. Hope 1st sargent Kasal comes back home safely and heals up well. | ||
| SouthernMarine |
I'll pass the word along. Headed that way next week. | ||
| Robxb |
Good luck and stay safe | ||
| Littlebuggles  |
I have to add my thanks as well. I'm glad there are such men in this world. Thanks to all who are serving. God Bless. Good luck to you Rob, be safe. -Mike | ||
| Wyckedflesh  |
I was a P.F.C. on a search patrol, huntin' Charlie down It was in the jungle wars of '65 My weapon jammed and I got stuck way out and all alone And I could hear the enemy movin' in close outside Just then I heard a twig snap and I grabbed my empty gun And I dug in scared while I counted down my fate And then a big Marine––a giant, with a pair of friendly eyes–– Appeared there at my shoulder and said "Wait." When he came in close beside me, he said "Don't worry, son, I'm here–– If Charlie wants to tangle now, he'll have two to dodge" I said, "Well, thanks a lot!" I told him my name and asked him his And he said "The boys just call me Camouflage" Woah-oh-oh-oh, Camouflage Things are never quite the way they seem Woah-oh-oh-oh, Camouflage I was awfully glad to see this big Marine Well, I was gonna ask him where he came from, when we heard the bullets fly Comin' through the brush, and all around our ears It was then I saw this big Marine light a fire in his eye And it was strange, but suddenly, I forgot my fears Well, we fought all night, side by side, we took our battle stance And I wondered how the bullets missed this man 'Cause they seemed to go right through him––just as if he wasn't there And in the mornin' we both took a chance and ran And it was near the riverbank when the ambush came on top of us And I thought it was the end, and we were had Then a bullet with my name on it came buzzin' through a bush And that big Marine, he just swat it with his hand Just like it was a fly... Woah-oh-oh-oh, Camouflage Things are never quite the way they seem Woah-oh-oh-oh, Camouflage This was an awfully strange (big) Marine And I knew there was somethin' weird about him, 'Cause when I turned around, He was pullin' a big palm tree up outta the ground And swattin' those Charlies with it from here to kingdom come When he led me outta danger I saw my camp and waved goodbye He just winked at me from the jungle and then was gone When I got back to my H.Q., I told 'em about my night And the battle I'd spent with a big Marine named Camouflage When I said his name, the soldier gulped, and a medic took my arm And led me to a green tent on the right He said "You may be tellin' true, boy, but this here is Camouflage And he's been right here since he passed away last night In fact, he's been here all week long... But before he went, he said Semper Fi, and said his only wish Was to save a young Marine caught in a barrage So here, take his dog tag, son, I know he'd want you to have it now" And we both said a prayer for a big Marine named Camouflage So next time you're in a jungle fight, and you feel a presence near Or hear a voice that in your mind will lodge Just be thankful that you're not alone––you've got some company From a big Marine the boys call Camouflage Hup, hey-ho, hey, left... left... Woah, woah, Camouflage Hey, hey-ho, ho, left... left... Woah, woah, Camouflage repeat endlessly until fade... Courtesy: Wall Of Voodoo "Camouflage" from the Stan Ridgeway Collection | ||
| Mutt2jeff  |
I believe he already has 4 purple hearts and to many awards to count from the previous gulf war as well. | ||
| Court |
 There is no more dangerous weapon than a pissed off United States Marine. Southern Marine: Godspeed and hurry home. Let the boys know how damn proud we are to have them representing us. Semper Fi, Court | ||
| Jerry_haughton  |
thank you to those who serve, and who have served. SouthernMarine, y'all be careful out there, and tell the men and women you serve with how much we care and appreciate. Ferris & Denise | ||
| Reinhart  |
Ditto's to all the posts in Honor of such a Brave Marine. It would be good to have his F.P.O. address so I can send this 'MAN' a note/card. | ||
| Jerseyguy  |
SouthernMarine - Please thank the sergeant for taking those rounds so that my family and I can live in safety and freedom. May God bless him and speed his recovery. | ||
| Rex  |
Jeremiah, my younger son is over in Iraq. He is in the prison area...his vehicle was hit with one of the Ied the other day...the rest of the group thought they were all dead...all were okay..some with their ears ringing....my son had his neck protector blown off, but apparently they are okay....rex | ||
| Walt221 |
My brother George is over in Iraq with the Air Force right now. He was over in Kuwait right after Desert Storm. Please keep my brother, Southern Marine, Jeremiah and all the other servicemen and women in your prayers. They need it. Remember that while we are over here enjoying the freedom to do what we love, they're thousands of miles away in a strange land making sacrifices so it will stay that way. | ||
| Jerry_haughton |
Rex, SO glad your son and his fellow soldiers are ok. | ||
| 2000m2 |
God bless him and his family. We are certainly blessed as a country to have men like that serving. | ||
| Sleez  |
A Marine as seen by... Himself: A handsome, buff, highly trained professional killer and female idol who carries a finely honed K-Bar, wears a crisp 8-point cammie cover and is always on time due to the absolute reliability of his Seiko digital watch. His Wife: A stinking, gross, foul mouthed lovable bum who arrives back at home every few months with a seabag full of dirty utilities, a huge Seiko watch, an oversized knife, a filthy hat and hornier then hell. Headquarters Marine Corps: A drunken, brawling, HMMWV-stealing, woman-corrupting "cumshaw artist" who wears a Seiko watch, an unauthorized K-Bar and a squared-away cover. His Commanding Officer: A fine specimen of a drunken, brawling, HMMWV-stealing, woman-corrupting bullshitter with an incredibly accurate Seiko watch, a finely honed razor sharp K-Bar and a salty cammie cover. What others have said: Congress: Marines are overpaid, overrated tax burdens who are indispensable since they volunteer to go anywhere at any time and kill whoever they're told to kill, as long as they can drink, brawl, steal HMMWVs, corrupt women and sing dirty songs while wearing cammies, oversized knives, Seiko watches and really screwed-up 8-point covers that don't look like the Army's. Ronald Reagan, former President of the United States: "Some people live an entire lifetime and wonder if they've ever made a difference in the world. Marines don't have that problem." General Douglas MacArthur, US Army: ". . . these Marines have the swagger, confidence and hardness that must have been in Stonewall Jackson's Army of the Shenandoah. They remind me of the Coldstream Guards at Dunkirk." Admiral Chester Nimitz, US Navy, on the Marine Corps' battle for Iwo Jima: "Uncommon valor was a common virtue" General Douglas MacArthur, US Army: "I have just returned from visiting the Marines at the front. There is not a finer fighting organization in the world!" LtCol T R Fehrenbach, USA, in "This Kind of War": "The man who will go where his colors go without asking, who will fight a phantom foe in a jungle or a mountain range, and who will suffer and die in the midst of incredible hardship, without complaint, is still what he has always been, from Imperial Rome to sceptered Britain to democratic America. He is the stuff of which legends are made. His pride is his colors and his regiment, his training hard and thorough and coldly realistic, to fit him for what he must face, and his obedience is to his orders. As a legionnaire, he held the gates of civilization for the classical world ... today he is called United States Marine." An Anonymous Canadian Citizen: "Marines are about the most peculiar breed of human beings I have ever witnessed. They treat their service as if it was some kind of cult, plastering their emblem on almost everything they own, making themselves up to look like insane fanatics with haircuts so short as to be ungentlemanly, worshipping their Commandant as if he was a god, and making weird animal noises like a band of savages. They'll fight like rabid dogs at the drop of a hat just for the sake of a little action and are the cockiest SOBs I've ever known. Most have the foulest mouths and drink well beyond man's normal limits, but their high spirits and sense of brotherhood set them apart and, generally speaking, of the United States Marines with whom I've come in contact, are the most professional warriors and the finest men I've had the pleasure to meet. " General John J "Black Jack" Pershing, US Army: "The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle! " General Mark Clark, US Army: "The more Marines I have around the better I like it! " General Johnson, US Army: "I can never again see a United States Marine without experiencing a feeling of reverence. " Richard Harding Davis, war correspondent (1885): "The Marines have landed, and the situation is well in hand." A Marine Drill Instructor at Parris Island: "Did you come here just to spoil my beloved Corps, maggot?" A boot camp weapons coach: "To a Marine, happiness is a belt-fed weapon." LtCol Oliver North, USMC (ret): "The only people I like beside my wife and kids are Marines." MajGen J N Mattis, CG, 1st MarDiv - Iraq, March 2003: "You are part of the world's most feared and trusted fighting force. Engage your brain before you engage your weapon. Share your courage with each other as we enter the uncertain terrain north of our Line of Departure. Keep faith in your comrades on your left and right and Marine Air overhead. Fight with a happy heart and a strong spirit. For the mission's sake, our country's sake and the sake of the men who carried the Division's colors in past battles -- who fought for life and never lost their nerve -- carry out your mission and keep your honor clean. Demonstrate to the world there is 'No Better Friend, No Worse Enemy' than a United States Marine." Eleanor Roosevelt - 1945: "The Marines I have seen around the world have the cleanest bodies, the filthiest minds, the highest morale, and the lowest morals of any group I have ever seen. Thank God for the United States Marine Corps." An Anonymous US Marine: "I recently attended a Kansas City Chiefs football game at Arrowhead Stadium. It was their annual Veteran's Day tribute so members of all the services were asked to participate in the festivities. A color guard for the National Anthem was provided by the Buffalo Soldiers Association. They looked very sharp in their 1800s-era US Army Cavalry uniforms. Following that, the Navy parachute team put on an impressive display that brought cheers from the 78,000 football fans in attendance. Shortly thereafter, we were treated to the truly awesome sight of an Air Force B-2 Spirit stealth bomber flyover as well as a few other aircraft. All of these sights -- but especially the B-2 -- were truly appreciated by the crowd who let it be known by their cheers. I expected that was all we would see of the US Military that day. I thought we would see a high school or college marching band during half-time. Few watch those shows anyway because they have to go to the head or grab another beer during the intermission. Shortly before half-time, however, I looked down on the sidelines near the end zone and saw the Marine Corps' Silent Drill Team forming up. As the half-time show started, the players left the field and the announcer came on the public address system to advise us of the Drill Team's performance. Many of us Marines have seen these performances in the past and they're always awe-inspiring. I didn't expect that the large civilian crowd of football fans would be as appreciative of the Drill Team as they had been of the high-tech B-2 or the daring of the Navy parachute team. However, I was on the edge of my seat. As the Drill Team marched onto the field, the crowd grew noticeably quieter. Soon, the team was fully into their demonstration. The stadium was absolutely silent. From high in the stands' upper reaches where my seats were, I was able to hear the "snap" and "pop" of hands striking rifles. Both big screen "Jumbotron" scoreboards displayed close ups of the Marines as they went through their routine. As they completed their demonstration and lined up for the inspection, the crowd began cheering as the Marines twirled their rifles in impossible fashion. Then came the inspection. Again, the crowd fell silent and watched intently as rifles were thrown, caught, twirled, inspected and thrown some more. Each well-practiced feat brought a "wow" or "did you see that?" from those sitting around me. I sat there in silent pride as I watched my brother Marines exit the field. A young girl behind me asked her mother a question about how the Marines learn to do the things they just did. The mother replied, "They practice long and hard and they're Marines; they're the best." Semper Fidelis OOORRAAAAHH!!!! my fellow Marines!!! (Message edited by sleez on February 08, 2005) | ||
| Charlieboy6649  |
OOh Rah 1stSgt! The organization fights for country, all those Marines out there have are each other. I'd be proud to call that man my 1stSgt. I salute him and the many like him. What sets Marines apart from any other is leadership. All one need do to bear witness is attend an evening parade in the summer at Marine Barracks on the corner of eighth and I streets in Washington D.C. The phrase, "It gave me chills" doesn't suffice. Semper Fidelis Marines! Honor, Courage, Commitment! for God, Country, Corps! | ||
| SouthernMarine |
Rex, it's good the hear that your son and his buddies are okay. Next time you talk to him tell him to look up a SSgt Lassiter if he ever swings by Camp Fallujah, I'll be there in a couple of weeks. | ||
| Oldog |
As I sat and went through the posts I am left with few words to say except First Thank you Marine 1st Sergeant Kasal Next Thank you all, former & present service members for your service to this country AND There are no words that I can find to express My grattitude to Men like the 1stSgt, Nor are there words to express My admiration of his courage Stay Safe and God speed The Old DOG | ||
| Bartimus  |
SouthernMarine, thanks for posting the pic and the story on the Sarge. Good man there, typical Jarhead, never give up, always forward. That man certainly deserves his medal. Sleez, Thanks for your post, I LMAO reading those! LOL Glad to see so many different points of few have the same outlook, that Marines ARE the best. I thank all that are serving, and have served our country. This is a high price these brave men and women pay, to allow us to enjoy our freedom. Semper Fi ! | ||
| Blake |
Rex, Damn glad your Jeremiah is okay. Please tell him that I am indebted to him and thank him for his service and sacrifice on my behalf. | ||
| Eor |
The temperatures were in the 70's here today and my wife was off for the holiday (she's one of those slacker state employees  ) so we took a short ride after lunch. On the way back, something caught my eye. Draped across the front of a trailer home about 100 yards off the highway was a banner made from a bedsheet. Very bright, multicolor letters obviously hand painted by children read: Welcome Home Daddy!!! Our local national guard unit has been serving in Iraq for over a year and is in the process of coming home. My stepson is a Marine, currently on inactive reserve. He wanted to go to Iraq but he was transferred to a unit that was never deployed to the Middle East. I understand and appreciate the sacrifices that our military people and their families have made. I hope they all come home safe. Apparently, there are a few Marines who will be returning as a result of this Sergeant's actions. I bet if you asked him about his bravery, he would say something like, "I was just doing my job...takin' care of my Marines...now patch me up and get me back to my unit!"  |
